Hugh Holland Biography – Crane Kalman Brighton

Off The Wall Reach, 1975
Huntington Beach Headstand, Huntington Beach, CA,1975
Buddha Bowl Craw, Los Angeles, CA, 1977
The Gymnast Handstand, Del Mar, San Diego County, 1975
Backyard Pool Bail, San Francisco Bay Area, 1977
Buddha and the Jer, Los Angeles, CA, 1977
Hanging at Kenter
Happy Hollow Congregation, Hollywood Hills, CA, 1976
Go For It, Viper Bowl, Hollywood, CA, 1976
Beginner, Viper Bowl, Hollywood, CA, 1976
Backyard Pool Coping, San Francisco Bay Area, 1977
The Concrete Swell, Viper Bowl, Hollywood, CA, 1976
Santa Cruz Performance, Santa Cruz, CA, 1976
La Costa, San Diego, CA, 1975
Day Pier, Huntingon Beach, CA, 1975
The Big Tubular, CA, 1976
Auto-Ramp, Benedict Canyon, CA, 1976
Del Mar Skater, San Diego County, CA, 1975
Down on the Street, Hollywood Hills, CA, 1975
Skater Crossing, CA, 1975
Flash at the Pier, Huntington Beach, CA, 1975
Ninth Avenue Locals, San Francisco, CA, 1977
Night Pier Rider, Huntington Beach, CA, 1975
Night Pier Rider, Huntington Beach, CA, 1975
Off the Blocks, San Fernando Valley, CA, 1977
Belmont Drop, San Francisco Bay Area, CA, 1977
Arthur Attitude (Arthur Lake), Kenter, 1976
Team Line Up (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Skate Contest Spectators (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Radical Palms, Santa Monica (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Left Turn Only (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Hanging in Balboa (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Hang One (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Dog Day Down (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
A Bail and a Hand, Carlsbad (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Gold Skater, San Diego, 1975
Riding to Ride, Highway 80, 1977
Skatepark Construction, Montebello, 1977
Last Light at Kenter Canyon Elementary, 1976
South Bay Gang, 1974
Laid Out at Kenter, 1976
Stacy Peralta in the Valley, 1977
One Hangs Ten (Jeff Jones), Kenter Canyon, 1976
Skater School, Orange County, 1977
In Your Face (Jay Adams), Kenter Canyon Elementary, 1976
In the Shade, Westside Schoolyard, 1976
Canyon Sunset Ride, Hollywood Hills, 1976
Stacy Peralta Ripping at Coldwater Canyon Pool, 1977
Reach Out, 1976
Skatepark Air, Jay Adams, Reseda, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Sidewalk Surfer Pit Stop, Huntington Beach, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Flying Into Reno, Joe Fong, Reno, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Downtown Tricks, Burbank, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Down on the Corner, Danny Kwock, Balboa Beach, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
Carlsbad Skate Park, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
A Break on the Concrete, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)
‘Solo’ Kenter, 1976
Skate Shooter, Kenter Canyon Elementary, Brentwood, 1976
Sidewalk Surfer, The Promenade, Huntington Beach, 1975
On the Rocks, 1976
La Bufadora (Todd Foot), Ensenada, 1976
Jesus Saves, Marina Del Rey, 1977
Jeff’s Return (Jeff Jones), 1976
Jeff Jones Stands on Coping, 1976
Hollywood Local, 1976
Asphalt Angel, Kenter Canyon Elementary, 1976

Hugh Holland, a self-taught artist, began experimenting with photography in the late 1960’s but didn’t discover his definitive subject until his move to Los Angeles from his native Oklahoma. His colour images are exceptional in their on-going contemporary feel. Shot with a special colour film and often taken during late afternoon, everything is bathed by the soft illumination of the low-lying sun. Special attention is paid to line and form, transforming the snap shot images to appear like carefully composed film stills.

These seminal images document the classic era of the early skateboard scene in California in the early 1970’s, with many of the images featuring the now legendary names of the sport, such as Jay Adams and Stacy Peralta. Holland began documenting the burgeoning phenomenon in 1975 after becoming instantly captivated through a chance encounter with a group of skateboarding kids whilst driving up Laurel Canyon Boulevard.

Fervent enthusiasm for the energy of the counterculture quickly certified Holland’s acceptance within the community. Every spare moment was spent capturing the everyday social interactions of groups, such as the notorious Z-boys from Santa Monica and Venice and the skaters of Kenter Canyon, Paul Revere and Brentwood.

Off The Wall Reach, 1975

Huntington Beach Headstand, Huntington Beach, CA,1975

Buddha Bowl Craw, Los Angeles, CA, 1977

The Gymnast Handstand, Del Mar, San Diego County, 1975

Backyard Pool Bail, San Francisco Bay Area, 1977

Buddha and the Jer, Los Angeles, CA, 1977

Hanging at Kenter

Happy Hollow Congregation, Hollywood Hills, CA, 1976

Go For It, Viper Bowl, Hollywood, CA, 1976

Beginner, Viper Bowl, Hollywood, CA, 1976

Backyard Pool Coping, San Francisco Bay Area, 1977

The Concrete Swell, Viper Bowl, Hollywood, CA, 1976

Santa Cruz Performance, Santa Cruz, CA, 1976

La Costa, San Diego, CA, 1975

Day Pier, Huntingon Beach, CA, 1975

The Big Tubular, CA, 1976

Auto-Ramp, Benedict Canyon, CA, 1976

Del Mar Skater, San Diego County, CA, 1975

Down on the Street, Hollywood Hills, CA, 1975

Skater Crossing, CA, 1975

Flash at the Pier, Huntington Beach, CA, 1975

Ninth Avenue Locals, San Francisco, CA, 1977

Night Pier Rider, Huntington Beach, CA, 1975

Night Pier Rider, Huntington Beach, CA, 1975

Off the Blocks, San Fernando Valley, CA, 1977

Belmont Drop, San Francisco Bay Area, CA, 1977

Arthur Attitude (Arthur Lake), Kenter, 1976

Team Line Up (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Skate Contest Spectators (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Radical Palms, Santa Monica (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Left Turn Only (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Hanging in Balboa (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Hang One (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Dog Day Down (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

A Bail and a Hand, Carlsbad (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Gold Skater, San Diego, 1975

Riding to Ride, Highway 80, 1977

Skatepark Construction, Montebello, 1977

Last Light at Kenter Canyon Elementary, 1976

South Bay Gang, 1974

Laid Out at Kenter, 1976

Stacy Peralta in the Valley, 1977

One Hangs Ten (Jeff Jones), Kenter Canyon, 1976

Skater School, Orange County, 1977

In Your Face (Jay Adams), Kenter Canyon Elementary, 1976

In the Shade, Westside Schoolyard, 1976

Canyon Sunset Ride, Hollywood Hills, 1976

Stacy Peralta Ripping at Coldwater Canyon Pool, 1977

Reach Out, 1976

Skatepark Air, Jay Adams, Reseda, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Sidewalk Surfer Pit Stop, Huntington Beach, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Flying Into Reno, Joe Fong, Reno, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Downtown Tricks, Burbank, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Down on the Corner, Danny Kwock, Balboa Beach, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

Carlsbad Skate Park, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

A Break on the Concrete, 1975 (from the series ‘Locals Only’)

‘Solo’ Kenter, 1976

Skate Shooter, Kenter Canyon Elementary, Brentwood, 1976

Sidewalk Surfer, The Promenade, Huntington Beach, 1975

On the Rocks, 1976

La Bufadora (Todd Foot), Ensenada, 1976

Jesus Saves, Marina Del Rey, 1977

Jeff’s Return (Jeff Jones), 1976

Jeff Jones Stands on Coping, 1976

Hollywood Local, 1976

Asphalt Angel, Kenter Canyon Elementary, 1976